American Cyber Warfare: Defend the Private Sector

America and its citizens have consistently fallen victim to cyber-attacks, and the cost has been substantial. As people and technology continue to progress in the cyber domain, issues regarding national security and prosperity will continue to compound. There is an obvious need to reestablish and maintain supremacy in the cyber domain to protect citizens and American interests. The United States currently has organizations to defend the government as a whole and critical infrastructure. Still, the commercial industry and the civilian population are, for the most part, left to protect themselves against cyber threats. These government cyber organizations such as the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security fall under different authorities to which they can function, such as Title 10 and Title 50. These authorities limit what actions they can take in cyberspace and delay response time to active threats. It is also difficult to distinguish the source of a threat. What might be perceived as a substantial threat to one organization may not be to another. Having a higher authority to which all cyber organizations can go to for decisions will allow the United States to increase its cyber resiliency and defense. American competitors and advisories have different models of government that give them an advantage in cyberspace. Our democratic process prevents rapid change, resource allocation, and unity of effort, while dictatorships by nature can overcome all those challenges quickly. What dictatorships will not do is empower their citizens. The United States, on the other hand, can and should allow its citizens to participate in defending the homeland through education, experience, and opportunities. Cyber-security comes at a price. It is a balance between protection that confines and freedom of information that liberates.